” “It’s just that these storms scare me.” “It’s all right my dear. You’re here with me and I won’t let anything happen you.” She smi...ed at me in the glow of the fire and laid her head on my shoulder. “You always could make me feel better no matter what was bothering me.” I smiled and stroked her hair as her warm breath tickled my neck. My phone ringing quickly shattered the serenity of the scene though. Alex jumped and I put my hand on her shoulder to calm her. My first thought was that it must. I would guess that they were looking for other qualities; maybe stability, kindness, or strength of character. I would surmise that they valued those attributes higher than those of mere physical attractiveness.That brings me to the point I wish to make. Why should I be so lucky? Why did I meet a strong and handsome man who is also kind and thoughtful? Unlike many women, I do not feel I deserve anything. I have gone through some very difficult times in my life. Over the last few years, I have. "Later she rethought that pompous and pointless remark. Especially when she heard two young ladies of thirteen, two who had also been in the class, remarking ... one saying to the other that "Lizo is so wonderfully handsome, so adorable. Wouldn't you like to kiss him?" And the other answered in the affirmative with an enthusiastic and breathy retort. A pang of jealousy--real jealousy, she thought with amazement to herself--coursed through Irina's frame. Jealousy, she thought, because they could. ”“Oh, that sucks. Damn people can’t be bothered to pay attention.”I took a breath. “About that. The driver was a seventeen year old girl driving her father’s pickup on an errand. She had the phone up like this,” I pantomimed holding a phone at chest level, “and the airbag smashed it into her lower face.”“Oh, no,” Jo breathed.“The impact broke her left wrist and her thumb, and shattered her jaw. Her mother came by yesterday to see how you were doing, and she told me what had happened. The girl.